Garment hanger



G. D. STRAMPE GARMENT HANGER Dec. 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1962 ABC CLEANERS A S U E C A l- P Y N A ABC CLEANE I ANYPLACE U.S.A.|

INVENTOR.

GEORGE DANIEL STRAM PE ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1964 G. D. STRAMPE GARMENT HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June '7, 1962 INVENTOR.

GEORGE DANIEL STRAM PE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,162,341 GARMENT HANGER George Daniel Sir-amps, Si s Wingra Sh, Madison, Wis. Filed June 7, 1962, ger. No. 209,861 10 Qiaims. (Cl. 223-87) This invention relates to garment hangers and more particularly to hangers adapted to support coats or other upper garments with or without shoulders, and/ or trousers, either singly or in combination.

It is a primary object'of the present invention to provide a garment hanger which is adapted to support a wide variety of garments on non-crushable, relatively large diameter support surfaces without wrinkling such garmerits.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive garment hanger which may be fabricated from a single sheet of low cost material with a minimum of waste.

t is a still further object of the present invention to provide a garment hanger having self-locking support means which will provide a more positive locking action as the load on the'hanger is increased.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a low cost garment hanger which requires no staples, glue, rivets, or other external fastening means to assemble.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a garment hanger which is easily assembled and disassembled.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been selected for exemplification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the body portion of my improved garment hanger in its disassembled form.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the improved garment hanger of my invention in its assembled form.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of my assembled garment hanger.

FIG. 4 is an end view of my assembled garment hanger.

FIG. 5 is an end view of one type of hook member which may be used to support my improved garment hangers.

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along section line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

The improved garment hanger it] of my invention generally consists of a body portion 11 formed so as to support various garments without wrinkling, and a hook member 32 adapted to support the body portion 11 in suspended relation. The body portion 11 has a trouser support section 12 and a pair of shoulder support sections 13, which are respectively adapted to provide approximately arcuate support surfaces of substantial diameter for trousers and for the shoulders of garments which are supported thereon. The body portion 11 may be stamped or otherwise formed from a single sheet of material, and may be easily assembled and disassembled without the use of external fastener means or special tools. My improved garment hanger may be folded substantially flat for ease in storing or shipping, and may be quickly converted into a shape providing approximately arcuate garment supporting surfaces of substantial diameter when it is in use.

The body portion 11 may preferably be stamped or other Wise fabricated from corrugated paper or corrugated cardboard, or may be similarly fabricated from inexpensive cardboard, fiberboard or other similar low cost materials 3,152,3 Patented Dec. 22, E9

having the necessary bending properties and structu rigidity.

Referring more particularly to the details of constr tion of my invention, it is seen that the trouser supp section 12 includes a partially cut-out portion 14 ant pair of vertical arcuate support members 17. The part ly cut-out portion 14 is preferably scored or partiz out along the horizontal line between points 14a and l and has a plurality of substantially parallel horizor scoring lines 16 extending the length of the lower port of the cut-out section 14. The edge of the partially c out section 14 extending above points 14a and 14b is out of the body portion 11 to permit bending the partiz cut-out section 14 downward along horizontal scor lines 16. It is important that the material from wh the body portion 11 is fabricated is relatively stiff, Vi relatively good structural strength. Such material sho readily bend along the described scoring lines 16 to fc a substantially arcuate trouser support surface 15 of diameter desired, and should be sufliciently rigid to s port any garments which are placed thereon without ac tional bending or otherwise deforming.

The approximately arcuate shape which the trou support surface 15 assumes upon bending is additionz determined by the shape of the vertical arcuate supp members 17. Such support members 17 are adapted bend outward from the body portion 11 along substant ly vertical bend lines 1711. The upper arcuate upper s faces of the vertical support members 17 are sha such that the trouser support surface 15 will have the sired arcuate shape. FIG. 4 shows the engaged relati ship of the vertical arcuate support members 17 and substantially downwardly facing surface 15a of the part ly cut-out portion 14. The vertical support members preferably have retaining notches 17a which engage cut-out portion 14, as shown, to help maintain the supp members 17 and cut-out portion 14 in engaged relatior The partially cut-out portion 14 has a pair of lock tabs 19, which are adapted to extend through slot me. such as locking slots 18 in vertical support members whereby to maintain the trouser support surface 15 in approximately arcuate shape. The locking tabs 19 n have an enlarged portion 19a and a restricted port 1% as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When engaged in lo ing slot 18, the restricted portions 1% of the tabs 19 in communication with the locking slot 18. The enlarg portions 19a extend beyond locking slots 18, as shown FIG. 2, and prevent tabs 19 from becoming disengag from slots 18. However, such enlarged portions should not be so large as to prevent easy entry of tabs 19 in slots 18 during assembly of the hanger. "l center portion of the partially cut-out portion 14 n preferably be maintained in the desired arcuate shape retainer flap Zil, which extends from the body portion in the manner shown.

Since the substantially vertical bend lines 17b of vertical arcuate support member 17 are approximat perpendicular to the horizontal axis about which partially cut-out section 14 is bendable to form the desii substantialiy arcuate trouser support surface 15, the st port members 17 will prevent any substantial deforn tion of the trouser support surface 15 when support: heavy garments. When the garment hanger 10 of my vention is disassembled for shipping or storage, the lo ing tabs 19 may be disengaged from support meml locking slots 18, the partially cut-out portion 14 may .rned to its original substantially flat position, and the Y ical arcuate support member 17 may be folded along d lines 1712 to the substantially flat position shown in i. 1.

he shoulder support sections 13 of my invention inle a pair of shoulder support surfaces 22' and a pair upper arcuate support members 25. The shoulder port surfaces 22 may preferably have surface-scoring s 23 emanating from a point near the center of the er edge 11a of the body portion 11 in a downwardly ing manner to terminate in spaced relation at the 11b of the body portion. The slopes of the scoring 23 will depend upon the slope which is desired for arcuate shoulder support surfaces 22. The upper ar- :e supportmembers 25 are bendable along substantistraight bend lines 2541, which are preferably disposed roximately perpendicular to the slope of the shoulder )Ort surface 22 when in use. The shoulder support aces 22 are bendable along scoring lines 23 about'a ing axis to bear upon the arcuate support surfaces of the upper support members 25 in the same manthat the trouser support section partially cut-out por- 14 is bendable about vertical'arcuate support mem- 17. v The arcuate shape of the shoulder support sur-. :s 22 depends on the shape of the arcuatesupport aces 25b, and the position of the scoring lines 23. upper support member retaining notches 26 engage shoulder support surfaces 22, and are partially mained in engaged relation by retainer tabs 22a. The ulder support section locking tabs 28, engage, slot Ll'lS in the upper support member such as locking slots as shown in FIGS. '2' and 4. The shoulder support v ion locking tabs 28 may have enlarged portions 28a restricted portions'ZSb as shown in FIG. 1. l 28 retain the shoulder support surfaces 22 in the de- 1 arcuate relation in the same manner as that de- 7 bed with respect to the engagement of the partially out portion locking tabs 19 within the vertical support nber locking slots 18. v The shoulder support sections may be further maintained in the desired arcuate re- )n by means of retainer flaps 29 located as shown in IS. 1 and 2. i

1 use, the shoulder support sections 13 of my imved garment hanger 1! provide tapered support sur- :s 22 of downwardly increasing diameter which are ticularly well adapted to support the shoulders ofous garments in a wrinkle free manner. The diamof the arcuate shoulder support surfaces 22 may be The body portion 11 has a pair of support tabs 30 with inner edges 31 in substantially close relation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The support tabs 30 are bendable downward at the lower portions 35a thereof in the manner shown in FIG. 2. The stem section 34 of the hook member 32 is adapted to extend between the support tab inner edges SI rat the stem opening 3101, as shown in FIG. 2, such that the support tabs 34 may be extended downwardly between the sides 36 and 37 of the hook member slotted portion 35. It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the slotted portion connected side 36 extends underneath the downwardly bent support tabs 30, and the slotted portion lower side 37 extends over the support tabs Silto maintain said tabs in the downwardly extending position shown. FIGS. 5 and 6 more thoroughly show the relationof the slotted 1 portion connected side 36, which is connected'to. the stem .ed by. changing the number of scoring lines 23, and/ or .ncreasing or decreasing the radius of curvature of the er support member arcuate support surface 25b. Sll1'l' 'ly, the amount of taper may be varied by changing :rein the hook member has an upper curved portion a stem portion 34 and a lower slotted portion 35' 2 slotted portion 35 comprises a pair of straight, subitially horizontal sides 36 and 37. The stem portion is connected to the approximate midpoint of the upper .nected side 36. The ends of the connected side 36 ferably extend downwardly from the upper side 36 at arcuate angle to the vertical, and then extend toward h other substantially parallel to the connected side as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, to define the lower side In the preferred embodiment, then, the lowerside, 37 t spaced, integral extension of the upper side 36. The

portion 34, and the lower side 37. I The angle at which the lower side 37 extends downwardly from the connected side36 will depend upon the thickness of the sides and upon the thickness of the material from which the body' portion 11 is fabricated. It canbe seen from FIG. 2 that as the garment hanger id is subjected to more weight, the supporttabs 3% will tend to straighten out and extend upwardly 'as in FIG. 1.. However, as such tendency increases, the pressure exeitedupon the support'tabs 30 by the slotted portion lower side 37 correspondingly increases, and the support tabs 3!) are more tightly engaged by the hook member slotted portion 35. Hook retainer notches 31b also aid in maintaining the hook slotted portion in locked relation, as shown. Thetype of hook member 32 which is used will depend upon the loads for t which the garment hangeris designed and the materials from which the body portion is fabricated. FIG. 4

shows a double hookv Which'rnay be used when'larger loads are tobe expected.

It is obvious that a number of modifications can be made in my improved garment hanger 10 without departing from the principies'of the present invention. As previously mentioned, variations are permissible in the type of materials used to fabricate the body portion 11, the thickness of the body portion 11, and the type of hook 32 which may be used to support the body portion 11.

In addition, the dimensions of my invention may be.

widely varied to providea garment hanger of the par- .ticular size desired. Typical dimensions for my garment hangers lilinclude arcuate trouser support surface diameters in excess of one inch, and'shouldersu'pport surfaces widening to maximum diameters 'in excess of one and one-half inches. 7

As used in the present description,'the term scoring lines includes not only those bend lines formed by partially cutting the body portion material, but also includes bend lines formed in any deliberate manner at the substantial locations shown in the drawings and described above. 1 j

The-present invention may also be modified to include justthe trouser. support section 12; or just" the shoulder support sections 13.

Such modifications will I provide hangers of minimum cost for specialized use as trouser hangers or coat hangers of minimum cost for specialized. i use as trouser hangers'or coat hangers where desired Such trouser hangers and coat hangers include justthose features of the above described and illustrated garment hanger which are necessary for the support of the garment desired.

An additional feature of my invention is its adaptability for advertising. Space 38 provides a broad surface j on which the name of the cleaning firm furnishing the hanger and/orbther suitable advertising material may be printed, as shown in'FIGS. 1 and 2.

It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein described andjillustrated, but embraces all such modifications thereof as come within thescope of the following claims. i

I claim:

1. A garmenthanger comprising in combination:

(a) a'bendable body section having a trouser support section and a pair of shoulder support sections,

(b) said trouser support section including a plurality of substantially vertical arcuate support members being extendable outwardly from said body section and each having an upper arcuate support surface and slot means, and further including a partially cut-out portion being downwardly bendable about a substantially horizontal axis and having a substantially downwardly facing surface adapted to engage said vertical support member upper arcuate support surfaces for substantially their entire lengths and having an upwardly facing approximately arcuate trouser support surface, said support member upper arcuate support surfaces being adapted to maintain said partially cut-out portion and said trouser support surface in approximately arcuate shape when supporting heavy garments,

(c) said partially cut-out portion having tabular means for engaging said slot means in said vertical arcuate support members in fixed relation and maintaining said trouser support surface in approximately arcuate shape,

(d) each of said shoulder support sections including an upper support member being extendable outwardly from said body section and having an upper arcuate support surface and slot means, and further including a shoulder support surface being downwardly bendable about a downwardly sloping axis to engage said support member upper arcuate support surface for substantially its entire length, said support member upper arcuate surface being adapted to maintain said shoulder support surface in approximately arcuate shape when supporting heavy garmerits,

(e) each of said shoulder support surfaces having tabular means for engaging said upper arcuate support member slot means in fixed relation to maintain said shoulder support surface in approximately arcuate shape,

( hook means attached to said body section whereby to support said hanger in suspended relation.

2. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said arcuate shoulder support surfaces are of downwardly increasing diameter.

3. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said arcuate shoulder support surfaces are slotted to receive and support the shoulder straps of shoulderless garments.

4. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said partially cut-out portion and said shoulder support sections are scored to facilitate the approximately arcuate bending thereof.

5. The invention described in claim 1 wherein (a) said body section has a pair of substantially fiat support tabs,

(b) said support tabs have inner edges in substantially close relation and being downwardly bendable about a substantially horizontal axis at the base portions thereof, and

(c) said hook means has an upper curved portion,

a stern section and a lower slotted portion,

(d) said hook stem portion being adapted to extend between said support tab inner edges and said lower slotted portion being adapted to engage said support tabs in supporting relation when said tabs are bent downward to a position substantially below said horizontal axis.

6. The invention described in claim 5 wherein:

(a) said hook slotted portion has a pair of straight substantially horizontal sides,

(b) one of said sides being connected to said hook stem portion at the approximate midpoint of said one side, and

(c) said connected sides having opposed ends wt extend downwardly therefrom at an acute angle the vertical, and then extend toward each of substantially parallel 'to said connected side to fine a lower side,

(d) said support tabs being adaptedto be bent do wardly over said connected side and between 5 connected and lower sides,

(e) said lower side being adapted to maintain 5 tabs between said connected and lower sides supported relation.

7. The invention described in claim 1 wherein tainer flaps extend from said body portion whereby engage said partially cut-out portion and said shoul support sections and maintain said engaged elerne in approximately arcuate bent relation.

8. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said tical arcuate support means and said upper arcuate s port means are slotted to receive said cut-out port tabular means and said shoulder support surface ta lar means, respectively, and wherein said tabular me are adapted to be locked within said slots in fixed relati 9. A trouser hanger comprising in combination:

(a) a bendable body section having a plurality substantially vertical arcuate support members partially cut-out portion and slot means,

(Z2) said substantially vertical arcuate support me bers being extendable outwardly from said bl section and each having an upper arcuate supp surface,

(0) said partially cut-out portion being downwar bendable about a substantially horizontal axis 2 having a substantially downwardly facing surf adapted to engage said vertical support member per arcuate support surfaces for substantially tl entire lengths and having an upwardly facing proximately arcuate trouser support surface,

(0!) said support member upper arcuate support 5 faces being adapted to maintain said partially c out portion and said trouser support surface in proximately arcuate shape when supporting he: garments,

(2) said partially cut-out portion having tabular me. for engaging said slot means in said vertical supp members in fixed relation and maintaining s trouser support surface in approximately arcu shape,

(1) hook means attached to said body portion when to maintain said hanger in suspended relation.

10. A garment hanger comprising, in combination (a) a bendable body portion having a pair of shoul support sections,

(b) each of said shoulder support sections includ an upper support member being extendable outwa ly from said body portion and having an up; arcuate support surface and slot means,

(0) each of said shoulder support sections also incl: ing a shoulder support surface being downwar bendable about a downwardly sloping axis to eng: said support member upper arcuate support surf: for substantially its entire length,

(d) said support member upper arcuate surface ing adapted to maintain said shoulder support s face in approximately arcuate shape when suppt ing heavy garments,

(e) each of said shoulder support surfaces having t ular means for engaging said adjacent upper arou support member slot means in fixed relation to ma tain said trouser support surface in approximat arcuate shape,

(f) hook means attached to said body section whert to support said hanger in suspended relation.

(References on following page) Referencas Cited by the Examiner),

UNITED STATES PATENTS Tharp 22 387 Harris 223- 98 X Sachs 223-98 Smith 22398 Misbach 223-85' Dukes 223-87 Tharp 223 -87 5 FOREIGN PATENTS I Great Britain. Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3,162,341 December 22, 1264 George Daniel Strampe It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as correc ted below.

Column 2, line 28, for "upper", second occurrence, read support column 3, line 71, for "arcuate" read acute column 4, lines 60 and 61, strike out ."Of minimum cost for specialized use as trouser hangers or coat hangers"; column 6, line 1, for "sides" read side Signed and sealed this 4th day of May 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER' EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A GARMENT HANGER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A BENDABLE BODY SECTION HAVING A TROUSER SUPPORT SECTION AND A PAIR OF SHOULDER SUPPORT SECTIONS, (B) SAID TROUSER SUPPORT SECTION INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL ARCUATE SUPPORT MEMBERS BEING EXTENDABLE OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BODY SECTION AND EACH HAVING AN UPPER ARCUATE SUPPORT SURFACE AND SLOT MEANS, AND FURTHER INCLUDING A PARTIALLY CUT-OUT PORTION BEING DOWNWARDLY BENDABLE ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY DOWNWARDLY FACING SURFACE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBER UPPER ARCUATE SUPPORT SURFACES FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THEIR ENTIRE LENGTHS AND HAVING AN UPWARDLY FACING APPROXIMATELY ARCUATE TROUSER SUPPORT SURFACE, SAID SUPPORT MEMBER UPPER ARCUATE SUPPORT SURFACES BEING ADAPED TO MAINTAIN SAID PARTIALLY CUT-OUT PORTION AND SAID TROUSER SUPPORT SURFACE IN APPROXIMATELY ARCUATE SHAPE WHEN SUPPORTING HEAVY GARMENTS, (C) SAID PARTIALLY CUT-OUT PORTION HAVING TABULAR MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID SLOT MEANS IN SAID VERTICAL ARCUATE SUPPORT MEMBERS IN FIXED RELATION AND MAINTAINING SAID TROUSER SUPPORT SURFACE IN APPROXIMATELY ARCUATE SHAPE. (D) EACH OF SAID SHOULDER SUPPORT SECTIONS INCLUDING AN UPPER SUPPORT MEMBER BEING EXTENDABLE OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BODY SECTION AND HAVING AN UPPER 